TORONTO (September 23, 2014) – An initial audience of 2.4 million viewers tuned into the series premiere of GOTHAM on CTV last night, the biggest audience for a series premiere since the debut of MARVEL’S AGENTS OF S.H.I.E.L.D. last September, preliminary overnight data from Numeris (BBM Canada) confirms. The most-watched drama on Canadian television Monday, GOTHAM helped CTV seize Night 1 of Premiere Week with the Top 4 audiences of the day among total viewers and all key demos, and four of the Top 6 most-watched programs overall.

Exploding on Monday nights for the next five weeks and winning the night overall, THE BIG BANG THEORY Season 8 premiere was watched by 3.2 million viewers, while the all-new episode that followed grew to 3.5 million viewers. Part 1 of the series debut of FOREVER was the second most-watched drama of the night with at least 1.8 million viewers, while CTV’s hit medical drama SAVING HOPE returned for its third season with 1.1 million viewers.

A closer look at Monday, according to Numeris (BBM Canada) preliminary data:

Between 7-8 p.m., all-new back-to-back episodes of THE BIG BANG THEORY averaged 3.3 million viewers, making it the most-watched program of the night with total viewers and all key demos.

At 8 p.m., nearly one in three English-language A18-34, A18-49, and A25-54 viewers watching television last night were tuned to GOTHAM on CTV. In Toronto, the premiere delivered a 14.4 rating for A18-34, 11.3 for A18-49 and a 10.6 for A25-54. In Montreal, it delivered an 11.1 rating for A25-54 and a 10.0 for A18-49.

In the competitive 9 p.m. timeslot, CTV original series SAVING HOPE (1.1 million) debuted its third season with 1.1 million viewers, up 36% with A25-54 and 8% with A18-49 versus the Season 2 premiere.

At 10 p.m. FOREVER (1.8 million) was the third most-watched program of the night overall with total viewers and all key demos, delivering 22% more viewers than timeslot competitor THE BLACKLIST (1.5 million; Global/NBC).